2007 Hasbro
Marvel Legends
Wave 2 - Blob Series
Ultimate Wolverine
BAF Piece: Lower Torso
MSRP: $9.99
How does the latest Wolverine chalk up against previous versions and current offerings of other characters at this stage in the game?
Ultimate Wolverine is hands down the weakest link in the Blob Series. There are some major setbacks from making this figure a great one... or even a good one but I don't think anyone is disappointed as Ultimate Wolverine hasn't looked good since his debut in SDCC 2006. I'm going to try to review Ultimate Wolverine as subjectively as possible for you hear, who knows, you may like this figure.
Packaging
Hasbro still producing the same beautiful package scheme as the first wave of Marvel Legends, The Annihilus Series. It still looks great, it still looks fresh and it still makes me that much more happy to buy the figure. All the color and illustration choices look great here. Nothing stands out as poor design or choices in illustration.
Score: 8
Sculpt / Design
I appreciate the decision in using this newer Ultimate X-Men costume as opposed to the older costume (like the Marvel Select version). First and foremost, the internet has collectively cringed at the face sculpt of this toy. Once I get it in my hand, it actually doesn't look as bad as I remember it being in PR and convention photos. I think the major detail that screws up this face are the eyes and eyebrows. The eyes are way too sunken in and the eyebrows bulge out much too much. Ya, that's a bad combination. Not to mention that one eye is slightly higher than the other. Also, the chin and jawbone is
very and therefore very awkward. Finally for the head, the face just looks to elongated. I have never liked it too much when the manufacturer just paints a costume on. The sleeves should be sculpted on Ultimate Wolverine's shoulders. I still think that those lines sculpted in on the shoulders, like She-Hulk's look out of place and distracting. The shape of the biceps are awkward due to too much convex (caving in) on the inside of the upper arms. Upon further inspection, the costume is quite inconsistent. The upper torso and upper arms are entirely very smooth and without texture as opposed to the legs, forearms and hands are very intricately detailed and textured with hundreds of fine sculpted lines. If only they had kept this texture going throughout the body. These by far are the worst sets of claws I've seen on any Marvel Legend figure. The claws are the wrong shape in about every dimension possible, they look like cheap knock-offs and they attach to the back of the hand as one unit at the base which is merely painted black (pathetic) with splotchy glue showing all around them. If anything is unforgivable with this figure it's the claws.
Score: 3
Paint / Color
The choices for colors on Ultimate Wolverine are sufficient. Flesh tone, black, yellow and red all do the job. The very basic job, no washes or drybrushing on this figure. However Ultimate Wolverine's arms feature many many tiny lines for arm hair. It's interesting but doesn't look right. Ultimate Wolverine's arm hair is too dense and too perfect. The worst part of all in this category is the appalling application to the hair on Wolverine's head. Both sides have whole regions of hair sculpted in that remain unpainted. what's worse are those funny lines painted on the sides of Ultimate Wolverine's face and eyebrows. The sculpt was bad enough but wow, the paint just took a step further down the spiral.
Score: 3
Articulation
Most notable is the "Hasbro" elbows and there terrible range of motion. With these double function joints, Ultimate Wolverine can rotate his lower arms at the elbows 360 degrees but can hinge the elbows into less than a 90 degree angle. So, if you were him, you could never drink or eat anything without assistance or a very long straw. With many useful points of articulation, Wolverine also seems to suffer from poor range of motion at the upper thigh swivel due to the obtrusive high cut on the outside of the upper thighs. Additionally the ankles have poor hinge range due to the shin guards and boots sculpted in. A surprisingly wide range of motion head can't save this category.
Score: 4
Accessories
It would have been a great addition to have either detachable or replaceable hands and/or claws. Otherwise, enjoy the baf piece as it comes standard in the Marvel Legends line.
Score: 5
Value
A medium sized figure with the largest baf piece, the lower torso or belly is actually split in two in the package and you need to snap it together. Technically this is a good value due to the volume of plastic
Score: 7
Score Totals
Packaging: 8
Sculpt / Design: 3
Paint / Color: 3
Articulation: 4
Accessories: 5
Value: 7
Overall: 30 out of a possible 60
It's hard to say whether we can deem Ultimate Wolverine the "peg warmer" of this series because after all he is Wolverine and there could be a lot of casual passers by whom see Wolverine and get excited and don't know any better. This figure truly had potential but it's almost like they gave up half way and said, "ah just finish the thing so we can ship it already!" I've tried to keep this as objective as possible but, the execution of this figure was terrible
especially after so many versions of Wolverine throughout the Marvel Legends line over the last five years.
Check out
Ultimate Wolverine in the Database.
